Wednesday 30th January 2019

Day 13 of 17

Andrew Wong

Andrew Wong

Andrew Wong is one of the most exciting and original chefs working in London today. Opened on a back street in Pimlico near to Victoria Station in 2012, A. Wong was awarded a Michelin star in 2017 for modern Chinese cooking that’s been described as ‘brilliant stuff’ by The Times and ‘a joy’ by The Independent and has become a favourite of foodies and chefs around the world including the legendary Ken Hom. Wong has been involved in the restaurant business from a young age. In 1985, his parents opened Kym’s, a Cantonese restaurant in Pimlico named after Wong’s grandmother (and which is now the location of A. Wong) where he worked front and back of house before leaving to study chemistry at Oxford University and anthropology at the London School of Economics. He then returned to London to specialise in classical French cookery and culinary science at a London culinary school and help out with the family’s growing restaurant interests. Before opening A. Wong (the ‘A’ in honour of his parents Alfred and Annie), the chef embarked on a working tour of China to expand his knowledge of authentic Chinese cuisine, moving first to Qingdao in Shandong province to join the Sichuan Culinary Institute and learn about banqueting and Chinese roasting, then to Beijing to acquire the skill of preparing traditional Peking duck and finally to Hong Kong to master Cantonese dim sum. Wong’s travels are reflected on the restaurant’s 10 course Taste of China menu that might include Zhou dynasty cured scallop, stuffed crab claw, wasabi; Shanghai steamed dumplings, ginger infused vinegar, and Shaanxi pulled lamb ‘burger’ with Xinjiang pomegranate salad. Creative dim sum, such as wagyu tart with black beans, peas, crispy onion or crab, seafood and bean curd cannelloni with pickled cockles, form an important part of the a la carte. In his introduction to the A. Wong cookbook, Wong says: “Our food is an attempt to celebrate individuals across the whole of China, from the noodle pullers of Lanzhou to the tea egg vendors of Beijing. The heart of every dish stems from the fascination, appreciation and gratitude I have for these individuals.” Wong has recently refurbished A. Wong and opened his second London restaurant, the 110 seat, casual all-day dining Kym’s (named in homage to his parent’s restaurant) in the prestigious Bloomberg Arcade development in the City that serves small bites, sharing plates and Chinese classic dishes.

Obsession Food Festival

Obsession first took place in 2001 and was created by Chef Ambassador Nigel Haworth and MD Craig Bancroft as a celebration of great food, wine and a meeting of friends, old and new.

From that first event, its size has grown but the ethos is still very much the same; a completely memorable culinary experience with some of the world’s most innovative chefs creating unique Obsession menus for guests to enjoy at Northcote.